


Just a Name

by waiting4william



Category: Ten Inch Hero
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-06
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-25 04:42:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4947133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waiting4william/pseuds/waiting4william
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tish finds an envelope addressed to B. Priestly in the mail...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just a Name

“Mail’s here!” Tish shouted over the din of the dining room to Trucker who was shut up in his small little office with the Grill’s accountant.

For a Thursday, the place was packed. Tish and Jen were covering all the tables and the counter while Priestly slaved on the line. Everyone was just trying to keep up.

So when the mail came and Trucker was busy, Tish took it upon herself to collect it and set it aside, for when things slowed down later. But something caught her eye.

On the top of the stack was a little envelope addressed to one **_B._ Priestly**. **_B…?_**

Even though things were hectic, Tish folded the envelope up and tucked it neatly in her bra. This was going to be fun for later...

She thanked the mailman with a wink and turned back to the grill to place an order. She couldn’t hide the smile that crept up when she felt Priestly glance at her.

“Oh what… now you have a thing for the mailman?” He shook his head, taking the ticket from her hand.

His words stung, but only a little. She’d come to expect as much from him. If they weren’t bickering then something was wrong. And while sometimes his commentary hit a little too close to the mark for comfort, she’d rather have that than nothing at all.

And who knows, maybe she affected him _that way_ too. She didn’t curb her tongue when she was dishing it out, so she should at least be able to expect the same heat when they bitched at one another. Then there were the rare occasions when they hugged it out after a particularly brutal vocal entanglement. Despite the heavy verbal fallout, they at least got to ‘ _touch and make up’_ …

And Tish liked _touching_ …

But for the present, she definitely had a _one-up_ on him. She had something, in print, which gave a very good indication that he did indeed have a first name. Something which didn’t even appear on his application.

As far as anyone knew, with the exception of Trucker, who was sworn to secrecy, Priestly’s first name was Priestly. And his last name was too.

But now there was evidence. A clue. Just a small one, but enough to kindle a flame of amusement for all.

_Let the guessing begin…_

*                 *                 *

 

Jen threw the wash rag into the soapy water bucket. “Can I flip the sign now? Before we get swarmed again?”

Trucker wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “Go ahead, you’ve earned it. I think if business continues to pick up the way it has been, I will need another employee. What do you think?”

“YES!!” Tish and Jen said at the same time, Priestly just nodded emphatically.

“It can’t be just anyone though. They have to fit in with our… uh… dynamic.” Jen added as she wrapped the few care packages from incorrect orders to give to the homeless on her way out.

“Agreed.” Priestly chimed in, looking at Tish as he continued. “I vote for another ‘Jen’. I don’t think I could handle another ‘Tish’ in this place…”

Tish just shot him a look that said _‘shove it’_ without having to speak the words. Then she remembered the envelope…

Using the mail as an excuse, she went to retrieve the stack for Trucker.

“Here you go, boss. You were busy when the mail got here.”

“Yeah you missed Tish’s latest victim. The guy was dumbstruck when he walked out of here.” Priestly quipped as he finished scouring the grill from the day’s labor.

That was it. No more smartass comments allowed. It was go time on the name game.

“Oh, yeah…” Tish began. “That reminds me…” Tish retrieved the envelope tucked inside her shirt making sure Priestly was watching. “There was something else in the mail today too.”

She walked over to Jen and showed her the envelope. Jen immediately looked up at Priestly. “What? Seriously?”

Tish nodded as their eyes mischievously met. A smile broke out on Jen’s face. Priestly looked between them and then over at Trucker with an oblivious shrug.

“Benjamin.” Jen said. Tish laughed.

“Brent? Bruce?” Tish laughed as she tested the names out on her tongue. They all sounded funny.

“What is this?” Priestly asked, looking a little distraught.

“ _This…”_ Tish held the envelope in her hand and twirled it around, “is an envelope addressed to one Mr. _B._ Priestly…”

She watched the color drain from his face and then slowly creep back up. He shot a desperate look at Trucker.

“Are you going to let them continue to torture themselves?” Trucker asked, arms folded across his chest, placid smile in place. Priestly looked insulted.

“Yes. I am. Gimme that…” Priestly went to reach for the envelope and Tish dodged, tucking her arm behind her back.

“Bill?” she giggled.

“Bradley?” Jen teased.

“It’s not like I’m going to tell you. You may as well give up.”

“Oh I could do this for days… Don’t even tempt me. You might as well make it easy on yourself and just fess.”

“Never. It’s none of your business anyway.”

“You’re right, Beth. It isn’t any of my business. I'm just curious. That’s all.” Tish was still smiling.

Sometimes Priestly could be intimidating, but now wasn’t one of those times. Tish had the strangest feeling that he might even be enjoying the attention, just a little bit. If anything, the smirk he was wearing was a clear indicator he wasn’t completely offended. So she persisted.

“What about Brett? Or Bastian? Hmmm… the possibilities are kind of endless. Maybe it’s a girl name!?”

Jen squeaked a laugh, as did Trucker, who then shrugged his shoulders and walked back to the office, calling over his shoulder. “Two minutes and we’re outta here. Better wrap up this mystery fast.”

Jen walked outside to rope up their tables, leaving Tish alone with Priestly.

It was a face off. In a flash of movement, he tried to reach behind her for the envelope, which she deftly evaded by ducking around him. This was more fun than she expected… getting Priestly to chase her.

_Yeah, as if that would ever happen._

“Why won’t you just tell me?” she finally asked.

“Because that would be too easy, Tish. And for someone like you, things seem like they are too easy sometimes.”

She immediately recoiled, air rushing from her lungs, as if his words struck her physically. She dropped the envelope, she dropped the act.

“Whoa, whoa… that came out wrong. That’s not what I meant.” He tried to backpedal, but it was too late. “That wasn’t meant to be a dig at you, Tish. Honest. I’ll make you a promise though. When the time is right, and if you’re still interested, if you ask me again, I will tell you.”

She studied him just as Trucker flicked off the lights.

“When will the time be right?” Her voice sounded pathetic, even to her. She blamed it on the impact of his words, even if they were not meant to be hurtful. At least he didn’t have to see the trace of wetness along the ridge of her lashes.

“Not now. But I promise, when it is, I’ll tell you. It’s just a name, Tish…”

“Exactly, so why not just tell me? You don’t have to tell anyone else.”

It was too dark now, and while she enjoyed it for herself, it was irritating now that she couldn’t see his expression.

“Why do you want to know?” His voice was quiet and low. She felt it more than she could hear it.

“I just do, I guess.” It was a terrible answer, but it was all she was willing to give him.

She certainly wasn’t about to tell him that she’d wondered about it before, just never had the courage to ask. They already shared a strained sort of relationship(?). When they were having a decent day, it was surprisingly fun, but not all days were that decent. She’d wondered about that too.

“That’s not good enough,” he said quietly, but there was no malice.

She was over it anyway. Not really. But it was safer to let it go. He might say something else that would make her actually cry.

“Fine. Keep your secrets. I wasn’t really that interested…”

He picked up the envelope off the ground and stuffed it in his pocket.

“Yeah, that’s pretty much what I thought…” he said before turning and walking away, leaving her standing at the darkened counter.

What started as a bit of fun quickly backfired, leaving Tish hollow. After the exchange they just had, her heart was racing, though she wasn’t quite certain why. She felt like she’d let him down somehow and she didn’t like it. But she wasn’t going after him. That would just make things even more uncomfortable.

It was best to just let it go for now. Maybe someday she’d find out. In the meantime, maybe what she _should_ be thinking about was just why she wanted to know in the first place. Though the answer to that was fairly simple.

Because it was _his_ name…

 

FIN!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
